Ann Mara Passes Away At 85
Giants co-owner and matriarch Ann Mara passed away today at the age of 85, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Mara slipped in front of her home in Rye, New York during an ice storm several weeks ago, and she injured her head in the fall. Although her family was hopeful for her recovery, complications from the fall ultimately led to her passing.
Mara’s father-in-law, Tim Mara, founded the Giants in 1925. After Ann’s husband, Wellington, passed away in 2005, Ann and her 11 children assumed control of 50% of the club. The other 50% was sold to the Tisch family in 1991.
Of those 11 children, three currently work in Giants’ front office: John Mara serves as president and CEO, Chris Mara is the senior vice president of player evaluation, and Frank Mara is the vice president of community relations.
Commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement:
“Mrs. Mara was a tower of strength, dignity and inspiration for her family and all of us in the NFL. Her family and the Giants organization have always reflected Mrs. Mara’s competitive spirit, integrity, and wonderful sense of humor. Our thoughts and prayers are with John Mara and the entire Mara family.”
Our thoughts and condolences are with Mrs. Mara’s friends and family.
Beckham, Donald Win ROY Honors
As expected, Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was named as the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. Meanwhile, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald took home the honors on the defensive side of the ball, as NFL.com’s Marc Sessler writes.
Beckham, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2014 draft, started the year on the bench thanks to injuries. After sitting out for the first four weeks of the season, the LSU product was eased into the offense over the next three games. After that, however, it was off to the races for one of the most naturally talented young athletes in the NFL. Beckham finished the year with 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, becoming a bright spot for a Giants team that struggled on the whole.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher said prior to the season that he expected Donald to win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Ultimately the No. 13 overall pick made his coach proud as he became the second straight defensive lineman to win the award. Donald had nine sacks on the season and Pro Football Focus (sub. req’d) had him rated as the best defensive tackle in the game.
NFC Mailbags: Rams, Panthers, Lions, Giants
We took a look at notes from ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…
- Even if the Rams end up re-signing wideout Kenny Britt, Nick Wagoner believes it wouldn’t be farfetched for the team to take a receiver with their first-round pick.
- Greg Olsen would like to get an extension worked out before next season, and David Newton says it’d be wise for the Panthers to sign the tight end. The writer points out that signing Cam Newton is the team’s main priority, but re-signing Olsen is not far down the list.
- Michael Rothstein writes that it’s “feasible” for the Lions to pay Ndamukong Suh more than J.J. Watt, but the writer notes that it would likely depend on the contract’s structure. Rothstein believes the team may have an eye towards the expected cap increases in future seasons, which means the team would prefer a backloaded contract.
- Besides Jason Pierre-Paul, Dan Graziano isn’t entirely sure which of the Giants free agents the organization would want to re-sign. Antrel Rolle could return, but Graziano doesn’t expect the safety to take a discount. The writer has similar feelings toward safety Stevie Brown and defensive tackle Mike Patterson.
East Notes: Dolphins, Maclin, Eli, Blount
The Seahawks selected Russell Wilson 75th overall in the 2012 NFL draft, meaning every team had a shot at him, and can play the “what if?” game. However, as Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN.com details, the Dolphins in particular can look back at what might have been. According to Merrill, current Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, who was interviewing for the Dolphins’ head coaching job at that point, pushed the idea of drafting Wilson – Bielema’s QB at Wisconsin at the time – in the second round. That didn’t go over well with team management, including then-GM Jeff Ireland, and Miami ultimately ended up hiring Joe Philbin and drafting Ryan Tannehill eighth overall.
As we contemplate how the last three NFL seasons might have changed if the Dolphins had opted for Bielema and Wilson, let’s check in on a few more items from out of the AFC East….
- Addressing his contract situation today, wideout Jeremy Maclin confirmed that negotiations between his representation and the Eagles are ongoing, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Maclin still expects to return to Philadelphia, though he acknowledged that nothing’s imminent yet. According to McLane, the veteran receiver will likely be seeking a five-year contract worth $10MM+ per year, which could make the franchise tag a viable option for the Eagles.
- Speaking of that tag, in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Adam Caplan identifies Maclin as one of the league’s top five candidates to be franchised.
- While his older brother made the move from the Colts to the Broncos late in his playing career, Eli Manning is less likely to leave the Giants and play elsewhere, in the view of father Archie Manning. As Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes, the elder Manning thinks Eli would rather simply retire than play for a team besides the Giants.
- Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount had faced marijuana possession charges earlier in the season, but those charges have been dropped after Blount completed 50 hours of community service, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Schefter, Caplan On Suh, Bucs, Peterson, QBs
While most reporters continue to focus on the Super Bowl, which is now just three days away, NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan turn their attention to the offseason in a pair of stories for ESPN.com today, providing a handful of interesting tidbits about coaches, free agency, and the draft. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights from Schefter and Caplan….
- Many of Schefter’s sources around the league don’t expect the Lions to assign the franchise tag to Ndamukong Suh, since the price ($26.87MM) would simply be too high for one player. Per Schefter, those who know Suh think that the idea of playing in a big market like New York, Chicago, or Dallas has always appealed to him. The Jets, Giants, Bears, and Cowboys could all certainly use a player like Suh, though you could say that about nearly every team in the NFL.
- There’s a “real sense” that the Buccaneers have their sights set on Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota as the No. 1 pick in April, says Schefter, though he cautions that many NFL execs and scouts consider Jameis Winston the best QB prospect in the draft. We still have three months until draft night, so plenty can – and will – change in between now and then.
- While the Vikings seem comfortable with the idea of bringing back Adrian Peterson, the veteran running back may not want to return to Minnesota. According to Schefter, at least six teams have already done background work on Peterson to prepare for the possibility that he becomes available.
- Multiple executives told Caplan at the Senior Bowl that Washington‘s Kirk Cousins and Mike Glennon of the Buccaneers are viable trade candidates, especially for teams looking for stopgap starters for the 2015 season. One NFC team exec said he thought both Cousins and Glennon would be worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick in a trade.
- Although former Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is coming off a successful season in Buffalo, he’s no lock to coach anywhere in 2015, says Caplan. We’ve heard all along that Schwartz will be patient when it comes to picking his next job, and Caplan notes that there’s still $6MM left on his deal with the Bills, which gives him the flexibility to take his time.
- Caplan identifies six free-agents-to-be who may fly under the radar this offseason but could really help a team, including running back Roy Helu, linebacker Dan Skuta, and safety Jeron Johnson.
NFC Notes: Packers, Bears, Cruz, Falcons
As 2015’s Super Bowl Media Day rolls on, let’s round up a few Tuesday notes from across the NFC….
- Only four of 11 Packers players who had per-game roster bonuses in their contracts failed to collect all their money, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, breaking down the players who did and didn’t receive their bonuses.
- The Bears announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve reached an agreement with Clint Hurtt to become their outside linebackers coach. The fact that the team is distinguishing between outside and inside linebackers coaches now suggests a transition to a 3-4 defense under new DC Vic Fangio.
- Victor Cruz‘s $8.125MM cap number will be the second-highest on the Giants‘ books in 2015, prompting Dan Graziano of ESPN.com to explore whether the team will need to address Cruz’s contract this offseason.
- A pair of Falcons assistant coaches recently interviewed for other jobs, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, who tweets that Glenn Thomas talked to the Browns about their quarterbacks coach position, while Gerald Brown met with the Raiders about their running backs coach job.
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Mike Sando takes a detailed look at how the Seahawks built the team that’s looking for its second consecutive Super Bowl win this Sunday.
- Seahawks defensive tackle Kevin Williams is happy with the choice he made in free agency last offseason, but considering he narrowed his options down to Seattle and New England, he admitted this week that he “couldn’t have gone wrong,” writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
- Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News expects the Cowboys to target a pass rusher with their first-round pick this April, or at least to nab a defender if there are no ideal pass-rushing fits at No. 27.
NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Suh, Rodgers, Giants
We checked out ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now switch focus to the NFC…
- David Newton still believes the Panthers could re-sign Byron Bell, even following the offensive lineman’s subpar season. Even if the 26-year-old proves that he can’t cut it as a starter, the writer believes the former undrafted free agent could still contribute as a depth piece.
- Michael C. Wright would choose a safety in the first round if he was in charge of the Bears. However, the writer notes that general manager Ryan Pace believes in selecting the best player available, regardless of position.
- If Ndamukong Suh ultimately leaves Detroit, Michael Rothstein thinks the Lions have the flexibility to move to a 3-4 defensive scheme. If the team decides to stick with a 4-3, then Rothstein suggests the team could look to sign Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton as Suh’s replacement.
- It’s not necessary for Aaron Rodgers to restructure his contract, writes Rob Demovsky. With more than $18MM in projected cap room, the Packers shouldn’t have an issue retaining free agents such as Randall Cobb.
- Dan Graziano explores potential cap casualties for the Giants. The writer points to defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka as the most likely to be released, while linebacker Jon Beason and center J.D. Walton are also candidates.
Draft Notes: Perryman, Dolphins, Lions
The Senior Bowl means plenty of draft speculation and talk of the Dolphins tapping local star Denzel Perryman has been a hot topic in recent days. However, drafting Perryman is going to require a long and thoughtful debate in Miami, as Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes. While GM Dennis Hickey doesn’t often mind drafting players that do not meet prototypical size and speed requirements (see: Jarvis Landry), assistant GM Eric Stokes does not feel the same way. Perryman, unfortunately, does not have the size one would usually want in a middle linebacker. More draft news..
- Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin could wind up as the next coach of the Falcons, but he’s not neglecting his duties in Detroit, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Austin booked interviews with Washington nose tackle Danny Shelton, Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant, Miami (Ohio) cornerback Quinten Rollins, and Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty last night.
- East Carolina wide receiver Justin Hardy said he a great meeting with the Ravens at the Senior Bowl, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- Penn State linebacker Mike Hull and defensive end Deion Barnes have each met with the Eagles at the Senior Bowl, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter). Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith and USC cornerback Josh Shaw have also met with the Eagles (link).
- The Giants met with wide receivers Sammie Coates and Devin Smith, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter).
East Notes: Fangio, Foles, Rolle
After dining with Washington brass last night, Vic Fangio will have a lengthy, official interview today for the team’s vacant defensive coordinator post, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Fangio, who also met with the Bears regarding their defensive coordinator vacancy, is widely regarded as Washington’s top choice.
Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Although a new GM and new defensive coordinator could change things, John Keim of ESPN.com appears convinced that Brian Orakpo will not return to Washington next year.
- They have some in-house matters to take care of first, but Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com writes that the Eagles, although not flush with cash, will have enough money to be players in the free agent market. McManus suggests if the team makes a big splash, it will come at the corner or safety positions.
- In the midst of rumors that Nick Foles may not be the Eagles‘ long-term solution at quarterback, star running back LeSean McCoy defended his signal caller, McManus writes. “I like Nick,” said McCoy. “The person and the player that everybody thought he was, he is. There were a lot of injuries this year — Nick obviously got injured. He gets all the blame and he shouldn’t. I think Nick is a good quarterback, he is the leader of this team, and things just didn’t work out for him this year due to injury. But we’ve got his back.”
- Jordan Raanan of NJ.com does not believe Antrel Rolle will return to the Giants next year, and he looks at how that will affect the team’s free safety position. Raanan also looks at a few possible cap casualties.
- Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News writes that, even if his hires of Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan turn out poorly, owner Woody Johnson should at least get credit for taking the right approach in making those hires.
- Brian Costello of the New York Post provides a behind-the-scenes look at those Jets hires from Charley Casserly, who served as Johnson’s adviser during the hiring process.
Coach Updates: Spagnuolo, 49ers, Shanahan
New Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a huge task ahead of him, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. While Vacchiano believes that head coach Tom Coughlin made a great decision going into his past to hire his best defensive coordinator. The tough part is that Spagnuolo will have to match his past success without stars such as Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora.
- There are a number of Giants players who could improve under Spagnuolo’s tutelage, writes Nick Powell of NJ.com. Howell picks out Johnathan Hankins, Antrel Rolle, Jason Pierre-Paul, Robert Ayers, and Jameel McClain as guys who may benefit.
- The 49ers are looking for a new offensive coordinator after Greg Roman joined the Bills, and Colts offensive assistant Rob Chudzinski is well positioned to take over, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
- Other candidates for the offensive coordinator position with the 49ers include former head coaches Mike Shanahan and Lane Kiffin, reports Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. Shanhan was once thought of in the mix for head coaching jobs, and Kiffin would be coming from the University of Alabama.
- 49ers offensive assistant Ronald Curry will have an opportunity to stay with the team as the wide receivers coach, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). Curry has not been given permission by the team to interview for the Bills, where he could have rejoined offensive coordinator Roman (via Twitter).
- Former Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan almost was hired in Baltimore a year ago, and if Gary Kubiak leaves the Ravens to take the Broncos head coaching job, the team could revisit Shanahan, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team is still impressed with his strong interview last year.